East Lancashire round-up

A COUNCIL leader and several senior councillors were among the casualties as cock-a-hoop Conservatives launched an election fightback in East Lancashire.

Ruling Labour councillors blamed low turnouts in a number of key wards for the turn around, claiming voters realised the polls would not affect control of their local town halls.

And of the five East Lancashire councils which held polls in a third of their wards yesterday, Labour still controls Burnley, Hyndburn, Rossendale and Chorley, with the Liberal Democrats retaining power in Pendle.

But Conservatives claimed the surprise results showed voters were turning against Labour and said the results could act as a springboard for them to take control of some local authorities.

The main casualty was Rossendale Council leader John McManus, who lost his seat in Worsley ward. Other casualties included the mayor, Peter Heyworth, and deputy leader, Marilyn Proctor.

In HYNDBURN, Labour lost husband and wife team Bill Goldsmith and Sheelagh Delaney and well known borough and county councillor Jean Battle. John McManus said: "To lose on a turnout of under 40 per cent is very sad.

"After the landslide of the General Election the Labour voters were simply complacent. If you get a couple of hundred people thinking their individual vote will not matter, it matters enormously."

Hyndburn Conservative leader Peter Britcliffe said: "Politics is a funny game. Twelve months ago I stood here as defeated candidate in the General Election and said I would stand in the same spot in three years as leader of Hyndburn Council. I now believe the Conservatives could take control of Hyndburn Council in 1999."

The Conservatives issued a "we are back" message in Rossendale and even doubled their seats on Burnley Council, to two.

Following her party's four losses, including two to independent candidates, Burnley Council leader Kath Reade blamed the low turn-out. She added: "This should teach us not to be complacent in a safe Labour town and that we must listen to the electorate."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "The biggest winner in this is apathy. The turnout has been just under 30 per cent in most wards.

"I believe the reason people didn't turn out is that they drove out the Tories last May. They got what they wanted then and it was hard to motivate them again."

Pendle Labour MP Gordon Prentice blamed the low turnout, under 20 per cent in some wards across the region, on "election fatigue" following last year's General Election.

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